Arthur's shirt
by LottaCharlene
Summary: Seeing Arthur in something casual is a surprise, but the surprises don't end here. A sequel to "Eames' shirts" no one asked for, but I had to write it anyway :)


**Arthur's shirt**

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A/N: This is a sequel to "Eames' shirts", because I just had to after I found that pic of Joe on tumblr.

Arthur: post/32869527556

* * *

The day Ariadne sees any of her former colleagues again, is over one year after her discovery in Sydney.

That day, she has seen Eames walking around in a shirt that told everybody, who cared that he was the _Property of Arthur_. As to underline that fact he had even been holding hands with said man. Ariadne was kind of shocked to discover that Arthur seemed, indeed, quite content to do such a thing in public.

She had mused over this a while, wondering if anybody else knew, but she didn't ask. This was probably a short-time thing anyway, considering Eames and his flirtatious attitude. No need to frighten anybody.

* * *

This time, they don't gather for another job, but some kind of reunion party at Cobb's house. Phillipa already goes to school, but it is summer now and they are all at home. Unfortunately, it is raining despite the warm temperatures.

Ariadne has not seen Cobb's kids for a while, but they take her heart by storm again. She shall instantly play with James' cars and have princess tea with Phillipa and her favourite stuffed animals at the same time. Cobb just laughs and shakes his head. He looks a bit older, but also happier and more relaxed than Ariadne has ever seen him before. The ghosts of the past are finally fading.

"It's good to see you again, Cobb", Ariadne admits.

Cobb smiles. "How is the job going?"

Ariadne knows he is referring to dreamsharing, but doesn't mention it for the kids' sake. "Still absolutely breathtaking!"

Cobb nods understanding and then the doorbell rings.

Ariadne plays with one of James' cars, while Phillipa watches over them with her stuffed bunny, when Eames walks into the room. The kids squeal delighted and abandon their play immediately, but Ariadne can only stare.

Of course Eames is wearing jeans and a t-shirt again, but instead of a ridiculous slogan or picture it is a simple, plain white shirt. But what Ariadne startles more than the lack of the usual lewdness, is how completely un-Eames he looks. Of course, he has the same sparkling blue-grey eyes, the same mischievous grin, the same crooked teeth. But the rest?

Eames is a bit thinner, still muscular (the tight t-shirt doesn't leave much space for imagination), but not that walking bulk anymore. His hair is shorter and a ruffled mess; his three-day-stubble has grown into a beard. And – God help – he wears jewellery. Nothing spectacular, but a necklace with a coin hanging from it, several bracelets (two made of leather mixed with some you get at festivals, although Ariadne can't picture Eames camping in the dirt for three days like some teenager despite any immature behaviour he has ever displayed), and a board steel ring. This is all so unlike Eames that Ariadne wonders briefly, if Eames has a twin or something. A very hot twin, to be exact.

Eames picks James up and smiles fondly, as the boy plays with his beard.

"That tickles, Uncle Eames!", James giggles.

Phillipa tries to get his attention by pulling at his leg.

"Hey, you two! Let him live!", Cobb laughs and pulls James from Eames' arms. "You look good."

Eames grins and pets Phillipas' hair. "Yeah, I feel pretty amazing myself."

"Finally won at the casino?", Cobb teased with a smirk.

"No, finally going to get married."

"What?" Ariadne tries to hide her surprised shout behind her hand, but it is too late.

Eames feigns a hurt expression. "Why is everyone always so shocked? Even my Mum wouldn't believe it. Do I look that ugly?"

Ariadne comes over to punch him in the arm and hug him straight afterwards. "Hello and congrats", she says and means it.

"Thanks, poppet. Nice to see you, too."

Eames' smile has never been so genuine, Ariadne thinks.

Cobb still looks disbelieving. "You never struck me as the one, who gets married, Eames."

Eames shrugs and walks over to the couch, where he slumps down unceremoniously. "Life is too short to wait. You never know, when you might end up in Limbo."

There is an awkward silence after that, but Phillipa is thankfully absolutely oblivious, as she crawls on the couch to sit next to Eames and bombards him with questions.

"Do you get married in a castle with lots of flowers and white doves? Will there be a carriage with white horses? Will the cook make so many meals that you burst if you eat just one thing too much? Who is your bride? Is she pretty? Will she wear a pink dress?"

Eames laughs and ruffles her hair. "I don't think so, but we can do this on _your_ wedding, love."

"No pink dress?", Phillipa asks critically.

"I don't think, he'll approve."

Phillipa gets big eyes and _oh_s, then she dashes off followed by her brother.

Ariadne slumps down in her spot and looks curiously at Eames. "Are you going to tell us, who it is?"

Eames smirks. "Won't be necessary. He'll be here in", he looks at his watch, "two to three minutes anyway."

The picture of Arthur and Eames holding hands in Sydney flashes through Ariadne's mind, but that would be unrealistic. Never in life would precise Arthur do anything like that. Being with Eames for a while? Ariadne can accept that, because everyone needs a bit of fun every now and then. But marrying? _Eames?!_ No way.

The doorbell goes again and Cobb emerges from the kitchen, where he has retreated after Eames mentioned Limbo and the near failure of the Fischer job. A second later, Yusuf walks in.

"Yusuf?", Ariadne practically cries out in shock. "You're going to marry _Yusuf_?"

Yusuf's face is almost comically horrified. "What?"

"What?", Cobb echoes.

"What?! No, guys! Seriously!", Eames groans. He points an accusing finger at Yusuf. "Dude, couldn't you have come ten minutes earlier or something?"

"Me?! _You_ are the one telling people we're getting married!"

"Guys!", Ariadne tries to interfere, but the doorbell rings again. Cobb throws his hands up in defeat, muttering something that sounds like "worse than kindergarten" under his breath and goes to answer the door.

"Eames, stop telling stories, man!", Yusuf says. "I'm still trying to get a girlfriend!"

Eames sighs. "Stop fretting. I wouldn't get married to you in a thousand years."

"Good." Yusuf looks honestly relieved. "You're really getting married? Hi, Ari, by the way."

Ariadne grins and waves. Everything has turned into utter chaos the minute Eames has arrived. It is almost like in old times.

Before Eames can answer Yusuf's question, Cobb comes back with Arthur in the row, who manages to look tired and relaxed at the same time. He has a big travel bag slung over his shoulder, where still the code sticker from some airport is taped around the strap.

Ariadne has never seen Arthur so casual, just wearing a thin dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up and the first buttons undone, and a pair of jeans. She has never seen him so tanned either.

"Hi!", he greets everyone with an easy smile, but frowns as his eyes land on Eames. "What the hell happened to you?"

Eames gives Arthur a boyish grin. "How was Honolulu, darling?"

"Nice. We incepted the pope and made him believe in Buddha and gay marriage", Arthur says without batting an eyelid, but his focus is on Eames' shoes. Suddenly, they are the centre of attention as everyone tries to figure out, what could be possibly wrong with them. Ariadne thinks, they are pretty hipster and nothing "old" Eames would have worn, but it looks quite good at him now. Arthur, however, seems genuinely bewildered and that just confirms Ariadne's theory of Eames NOT getting married to Arthur.

Arthur suddenly snaps his attention back to Cobb. "Can I get a shower? The temperatures in Honolulu are significantly higher than here."

After a loud greeting from Cobb's kids, who almost tackle Arthur down in their enthusiasm, Arthur finally enjoys a shower upstairs, while everyone else is in the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Yusuf chops capsicum into precise squares. "So, will you finally enlighten us, who are you going to marry instead of me?", he asks.

Phillipa, who stands on a stool and stirs the sauce with a highly concentrated face, turns around and says as if it wouldn't be crystal clear: "Uncle Arthur, of course!"

Yusuf nearly cuts his finger, Ariadne spills the dressing she is making and Cobb grabs the hot pot without a glove.

"What?!"

"Shit!"

"Outch!"

"Are you ok, Daddy?" Phillipa watches her Dad holding his hand under cold water, before she says to Eames in an earnest tone: "You know, Uncle Arthur really would look weird in a pink dress!"

"I do hope so!", comes suddenly Arthur's voice from the door.

Yusuf swirls around and flings a capsicum seed, as he points with the knife at him. "You tell me this isn't true!"

"What, the pink dress?"

"Why is everyone always so scandalized, when I say we're going to get married, darling?", laments Eames.

"I don't know. Maybe people tend to rather not believe your very word, Mr Eames", Arthur grins.

"Arthur!", Cobb barks in a sharp voice that has Ariadne jump slightly. She still tries to figure out the exact moment, when everyone will burst into laughter, because this is a joke, right? It just has to be …

Arthur's expression is calm as he looks at Cobb, but Ariadne can see the annoyance glistening in his eyes. "Yes, Eames and me, we're engaged. You always told me I should get a life beside work. Well, this is it. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, but Eames is –", Cobb starts and looks as though he wants to start a serious debate about all the negative attributes that he links with the forger.

"He is _what_, Dom? A bad choice, because he's a gambler and a trickster and a con-man? He's untrustworthy and he'll sell my head for the right prize straight away? I trust this man to have my back _anytime_, because he had never let me down. Not once! He has always been there for me, when _I_ had a bad day; when _I _needed a shoulder to lean on or just someone, who was willing to listen to _my_ problems. He's a brilliant man and I love him and I will be there for him until my dying day!"

"Arthur, this isn't something you should rush, just because –"

"Thank you for being such a faithful friend, Dom! Being happy for me is obviously too much to ask for." With that, he turns around and leaves the kitchen in a heavy silence.

"Well, nice work", Eames says in a dry tone and follows Arthur.

Ariadne looks at Yusuf with big eyes. He lets out the air he has been holding for the last minute.

"Well, that was unexpected", he murmurs.

"Are they going to break up now?", Phillipa wants to know, fearful, because she is only six and doesn't understand sarcasm yet.

"No, honey", Cobb soothes her, but he doesn't move to go after Arthur and apologize.

Ariadne huffs, because men are all the same, at least when it comes to things like emotions and admissions of own mistakes. It is still a surprise for her that Arthur is dead serious about the topic, but Eames has obviously earned the point man's trust and that alone is actually a thing of impossibility. She also knows that, if Eames should ever mess things up with Arthur, he is a dead man. And she is pretty sure Eames knows this as well.

Ariadne pushes the bowl with the dressing away and walks out of the kitchen. She finds the two of them on the porch.

Arthur has his arms crossed loosely, but he remains unresponsive to Eames, who has tucked his fingers in Arthur's belt loops and tries to pull the man to him.

"I'm so sick and tired of all this criticism and scepticism. It is as though no one thinks we're able to make a reasonable decision! And Dom! He is like an older brother for me; we've been through all this mess with Mal and he still doesn't trust me? Can't he just accept my choice and believe me that I know exactly, what I'm doing? Is it really so hard to accept _us_?"

"Arthur, darling", Eames says patiently and turns him softly around so that Arthur finally faces Eames. "I think, he cares a lot about you and that's why he is so concerned that you might get hurt. He wants to protect you and this is his way showing it."

Arthur allows Eames to pull him closer and Eames instantly slides a possessive arm around Arthur's waist.

"I know, but … it hurts that no one thinks you are a respectable partner for me. Because you are."

Eames strokes gently over Arthur's cheek. "Have I ever told you, what a happy man I am?"

"You might once or twice have mentioned it", Arthur smiles. "Why the new look?"

Eames shrugs, but he looks shy. "Surprise for you. Don't you approve?"

"It definitely was a surprise. But an appealing one."

Eames hums delighted. "You know what I love the most about this whole engagement? That I can do _this_ whenever I want and no one can say a thing." He leans in and captures Arthur's lips with practiced ease.

Ariadne, who has stood by the door the whole time, waiting for a window of opportunity to interrupt them, decides that this is it and clears her throat politely, before the kiss can get more than just chaste.

They turn around, a bit surprised, but not mad at her.

"I … erm … I just wanted to say, I'm sorry for not taking you seriously, guys. It's just that you never seemed to have a soft spot for each other and Eames … ah, never mind! I wish you both the best of luck for your future! And I expect to be bridesmaid!", she laughs.

They both grin widely at her and give her a tight hug. Eames whispers very loudly: "You're going to be the next, poppet!"

Ariadne kicks him at the shin and walks grinning back into the kitchen to kick Yusuf and Cobb in their arses, so they will stop being so goddamn old-fashioned.

* * *

When it is time for dinner, everyone has wished Arthur and Eames the best of luck and although Cobb still pouts a bit, because he hasn't known any earlier than the rest of the team, the mood is cheerful. Especially Phillipa is very excited, so it is only a question of time until she knocks the bowl with the dressing over Arthur's shirt. She really is worried, no matter how often her Dad assures her that everything is fine, because nothing serious has happened. But only Arthur can eventually cheer her up again, as he comes back to the table in a grey t-shirt with a black pattern in heart shape and the words _Property of Mr Eames_ in violet over his chest.

Ariadne grins into her salad. "I guess, this is your creation, Eames?"

Eames grins back. "What makes you think that?"

"I remember", says Yusuf chuckling, "when my aunt got married, someone had cut a heart-shaped hole into the dress, right over the belly! It was such a disastrous wedding … nothing happened, as it should. And then there was a lost bird in the church and it was so scared, it shit everywhere!"

The kids and Ariadne giggle, Cobb looks disapproving, Eames steals a quick kiss from Arthur and Yusuf holds forth telling the whole story of his aunt's wedding. In the end everyone gives Arthur and Eames stupid wedding advice and Ariadne thinks that Arthur's eyes must hurt by how often he has rolled them in the last hour.

As the kids are in bed, they open a bottle of wine, soon followed by another. Ariadne can't stop staring at the equal steel rings Arthur and Eames are wearing.

"Who has proposed?", she blurts out.

"Me", Eames says smiling broadly and holds Arthur tightly around the waist.

"I wanna hear that story!", proclaims Yusuf, who leans forward on his elbows, looking far too curious.

"It was overly unromantic!", Arthur waves off.

"Hey!", tries Eames to protest, but Arthur overrides him.

"I just was in the shower! And suddenly someone was writing obscene messages on the fogged glass wall!"

"Obscene … Arthur! I was making you compliments!"

Arthur gives the others a pointed look. "I'll spare you with the details."

"Yes, please", Cobb mumbles, but Yusuf and Ariadne look eager to know the rest of the story.

"Well", Arthur continues and his look gets soft. "Then, after I complained about the huge portrait of a cock, he wiped the glass clean, got a permanent marker – I have no idea from where – and wrote:

_How much I love you  
__yesterday today tomorrow_

_merry me? :)_

I think, the cleaning ladies still try to get rid of it!"

Eames laughs. "You should have seen his confused look!"

"You wrote _marry_ with an 'e'!", Arthur argues good-naturedly. "Of course I was confused!"

Ariadne chuckles. "What's with the equation, Eames?"

Eames doesn't look at her but in Arthur's eyes as he explains: "I love you more today than I did yesterday, but still less than I will love you tomorrow."

"That's it? That's how you proposed?", Yusuf asks disbelieving.

"Pretty much", Eames hums, but he is not paying much attention anymore.

"And you said _yes_ to that?! Arthur, I really had expected more from you!", Yusuf rants on. "At least an unspeakable expensive hotel suite with a bed of roses and champagne and moon-"

Yusuf stops mid-word, because neither Arthur nor Eames really listens anymore. They are so lost into each other that Ariadne blushes. Yusuf hides behind his hands and groans: "Guys, please." But that doesn't keep Eames from kissing Arthur like it is the last thing he will ever do in his life.

Cobb suddenly gets up. "Ok, I think you two should go to bed!"

This has finally Eames' attention and he smirks devilish.

Cobb, who notices his bad choice of words immediately, tries to revise his words, but it is hopeless. "You're not going to have sex in my house!"

"Tell that Mr Gorgeous here", Eames smirks.

"Arthur, please!"

"I'm sorry, Dom. Eames dressed this nicely just for me; I can't let his attempt to turn me on go to waste. Besides, we haven't seen each other for two months!" Arthur gives Cobb a sly wink, before he pulls Eames with him upstairs.

Yusuf groans something like "pictures in my head" and Ariadne can barely contain her snickering at Cobb's horror-struck face.

"At least be quiet!", Cobb shouts after them. "I don't want my kids to be traumatized for life!" Then he slumps onto the couch and sighs heavily.

"They'll be a nice married couple", Ariadne grins and pats Cobb sympathetically on the back.

"No", Cobb laughs suddenly. "They're the best high-profiled criminals I know, and now, with this kind of bond, they're going to be bloody dangerous!"

* * *

A/N: If you're interested in Eames' appearance ... image/32889979266  
I just love his look so much! :)


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